Shopmonkey allowed the heavy duty shop to integrate its systems into one place, double business and create excellent customer experiences.
Doubled business without adding staff
Consolidated work systems into one place
Increased technician efficiency
Like all major cities, Chicago is filled with heavy-duty vehicles that keep the city moving forward— think of fire trucks, garbage trucks, and transit buses as examples. When essential vehicles break down, fleet operators need a reliable auto shop to get repairs done quickly to get the vehicles back on the road. Casey George took over Bus & Truck of Chicago in 2020 to improve the repair process for fleet owners across the Chicago area.
Like the rest of America, George struggled to operate his business during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many buses and trucks weren't running, which meant fewer customers for the shop. Despite these hurdles, he needed to be nimble and find a way to grow the business.
There was a lot of work to be done. George quickly identified the need to streamline the numerous shop management software systems. When he purchased the business, multiple systems were utilized and served different purposes. George found it challenging to see how his business was performing in real-time and the overall health of the business.
George quickly began searching for a shop management system that could meet all his needs, and so he could focus on growing his business. "We looked at probably nine different shop management systems," George said. "Shopmonkey stood above everyone else."
Since choosing Shopmonkey, Bus & Truck of Chicago has nearly doubled its service capabilities without increasing its workforce. The shop management system has seamlessly helped George fulfill his dream of owning a business and creating excellent relationships with some of the hard-working people of Chicago.
Outdated Systems | Disorganization | COVID-19 Pandemic
Coming out of business school, Bus & Truck of Chicago is the first shop George has managed. He was also away from his hometown of Warren, North Carolina. He faced the challenging task of learning to engage with the community and build relationships at a time when social isolation was the norm. George had to build the trust of his customers while modernizing the shop to run efficiently.
“The pandemic really put a wrench in the things we did communally,” George said.
At the time, Bus & Truck of Chicago used outdated systems like carbon paper to track work orders. They didn’t even have WiFi. Operating with several different systems made it hard to keep track of the status of projects around the shop– forcing George to leave revenue dollars on the table. At times, George had trouble locating a work order, as he wondered which stack of paper it could be in. With aspirations of becoming the most prominent independent shop in the Chicago area, they desperately needed modernization tools to take on more work.
As a heavy-duty shop, Bus & Truck of Chicago works mainly on F-250 or larger vehicles. That’s not just trucks but also RVs, motor coaches, transit buses, and sometimes tractors. Unfortunately, they had a hard time finding shop management software that had documentation for all of the different kinds of vehicles they were working on.
Improved Customer Experience | A Consolidated System | Modern Technician Tools
Since choosing Shopmonkey, Bus & Truck of Chicago has developed a strong reputation amongst fleet owners. They regularly praise George and his team for their ability to view and pay invoices virtually and for the real-time visibility into their vehicle's repair status.
"I'm not one to sit at my desk; I'm always out and about driving around, so it's nice to see the invoice on my phone, look at it, e-sign it, and send it right back," said Rich Simmons, Owner of Premier Trolley. "I have been very, very happy. He treats me like I'm one of his top customers."
When George sees vehicles he's worked on operating across the city, he feels a sense of pride for the work put into running a transparent business focused on efficiencies.
"It's tangible what you do, you're helping keep vehicles on the road and helping your customers accomplish a goal," George said. "I see fire trucks that have been in our shop, transit buses that have been in our shop. It's gratifying to see your work for the general public to enjoy and for business owners to make a living."
With the internet and other modern systems installed, Shopmonkey has allowed the team to track everything in one place. Now they can keep track of estimates, invoices, work orders, and the status of jobs all on Shopmonkey. The Bus & Truck staff needed minimal training with Shopmonkey’s easy-to-understand user interface.
“I look at sales and reports multiple times a day,” George said. “I’m looking at what jobs are getting completed, how much we are making from those jobs, and looking for who has been paying their receivables. I’m looking at that constantly.”
“Shopmonkey has really changed the amount of work we can do, I can’t stress that enough."
One major tool the shop was looking for in its shop management software was the ability to scan the VIN codes of all the different types of vehicles that came in. Most platforms they tested would only register heavy-duty tractors. Shopmonkey’s VIN code scanning allowed them to keep documentation on all heavy-duty vehicles, which has been a major difference maker for the shop.
“Shopmonkey has really changed the amount of work we can do, I can’t stress that enough,” George said.
Since doubling the amount of business that comes in the shop, Bus & Truck of Chicago has around 40 trucks being serviced at a time. With the right tools in hand and excellent relationships with the community, they are well on their way to accomplishing their goal of being the largest independent shop in the Chicagoland area.
Check out this video to learn more about how George built a thriving truck repair business:
Shopmonkey has allowed the shop to double the amount of vehicles they work on at a time, changing the way they work. They now can service up to 40 vehicles at any given time.
Since choosing Shopmonkey, Bus & Truck of Chicago has ditched their multi-system approach for a more modern solution that keeps everything they need in one place.
With Shopmonkey’s VIN decoding, techs can speed up the check-in process – getting projects started quicker and easier.
Located in Bedford Park, Bus & Truck of Chicago is a diesel repair shop providing top-rated repair services for trucks, buses, RV's, & more. They serve fleets, municipalities, transit authorities, and customers throughout Chicago, specializing in bodywork, collision repair, spring & suspension service, and wheel alignments.
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